United States Patent Application Publication No. 20080193254 (inventors Stephen Selle and Jonathan Wayne Dieter), entitled “Fastener” discloses “a fastener in combination with a substrate wherein the fastener is affixed to the substrate in a manner that does not damage the substrate. The fastener comprises a barrel having an interior, an exterior, a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion. The first end portion of the barrel includes a flange. The exterior of the barrel proximate the flange includes a gripping portion with a spline having at least 12 teeth. The interior of the barrel proximate the second end portion of the barrel includes a counterbore. The interior of the barrel proximate the intermediate portion is threaded. The second end portion of the barrel is flared. The substrate includes a cylindrically shaped bore extending therethrough. The barrel of the fastener partially resides in the bore of the substrate and the 12 toothed spline on the exterior of the barrel of the fastener engages the bore of the substrate and surrounding material with minimal deformation.”
United States Patent Application Publication No. (inventor Stephen Selle) 20080191111, entitled, “Leveling Device and Method for Making Same,” discloses “an improved leveling device for adjusting the height of a substrate with a leveling device located between the floor and the bottom of the piece of furniture. The leveling device is comprised by a threaded stud which resides in a propel nut. The threaded stud is comprised by a first end, an end cap, and a second end, a leveling surface. The leveling device is inserted into a bore in the bottom of the piece of furniture. The propel nut of the leveling device grips the bore and holds the leveling device in the bore. The oversized end cap with respect to the threaded stud and the propel nut in combination with the bore of the substrate is resistably movable and exerts a force against the bore in the substrate to counter forces exerted against the leveler by the floor when dragging the furniture.”
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20080069660 (inventor Stephen Selle), entitled Hopper Fed Tee nut Having Counterbore With Nylon Lock, discloses “a tee nut fastener which includes a nylon locking ring located distally from the entrance to a passageway ensures proper fastening upon coupling with a threaded stud. The tee nut is used use in combination with a track for efficient delivery. The track comprises an upper guide spaced apart relatively farther than a lower guide. The process for making the tee nut uses a cold heading process. The tee nut includes a flange having an upper portion and a lower portion. A shank extends perpendicularly from the upper portion and a head extends oppositely from the shank and perpendicularly from the lower portion. The flange includes at least two teeth extending in the direction of the shank and a passageway through the shank, flange and head. The passageway includes a bore countersunk at both ends thereof, a cavity, and threads therein. A locking ring resides in the cavity and is relatively thin compared to the length of the teeth to ensure that the tee nut is not extricated from a substrate in which the prongs or teeth are embedded upon coupling with a threaded stud.”
United States Patent Application 20070280804 (inventor Stephen Selle), entitled “Fastener and Process for Using Same,” discloses “a connector for securing first and second substrates together, comprising: an outer fastener and an inner fastener is disclosed and claimed. The outer fastener comprises a dowel shaped stud. The inner fastener comprises a flange and a pair of clips. The pair of clips includes a first portion and a second portion. The flange is lanced and includes a punched out portion. The stud interengages the flange and the second portion of the pair of clips urges the clips away from each other and away from the stud. The outer fastener is pressed into the first substrate and the second portion of the clips is pressed into the second substrate. The second portion of the clips include a turned back portion and the turned back portion of the clip grip the second substrate preventing removal of the inner fastener from the second substrate. The connector is tolerant of the misalignment of the inner and outer fasteners and the bores in which the fasteners reside.”
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20050232724 (inventor Stephen Selle) entitled “Adjustable Threshold Fastener with Flanges” discloses “a fastener comprising a threaded stud and a rectangular nut having raised flanges is disclosed. Raised flanges enable passing the fasteners in a curvilinear dispensing track. The rectangular nut resides in a channel in a threshold device and is restrained against rotational movement. The threaded stud includes a flat head adjustable in a plurality of positions which, in turn, enables positioning of the threshold.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,968 (inventor Stephen Selle) entitled “Retainer” discloses “a stud retainer comprising a generally disk shaped body having a periphery, an aperture therethrough and a wing portion extending from said periphery is disclosed and claimed. The disk shaped body includes a crown and the crown is concentric with the aperture. The wing portion extends laterally and transversely from an arcuate portion of the periphery of the disk shaped body. The aperture has an inner diametrical surface and an outer diametrical surface. The inner and outer diametrical surfaces of the aperture are smooth. A delivery track for guiding the stud retainers is disclosed and claimed. The process for making the stud retainer is also disclosed and claimed. The process includes the steps of: punching a hole in the spring steel from a first side of the sheet of spring steel creating a smooth surface on the inlet side of said hole, coining the hole from the other side of the steel creating a smooth service on the outlet side of the hole, embossing the hole from the other side of the steel; and, cutting off the stud retainer from said sheet of spring steel.”
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,993,320 and 6,095,738 (inventor Stephen Selle) entitled “Tee Nut and Method of Manufacture” discloses “a tee nut and method of manufacture is provided which T nut includes a flange and a hollow barrel extending from the flange. The flange is general circular and has a pair of pawls extending upwardly therefrom, each of which terminates in teeth for engaging a base member. The barrel has an end portion proximal to the flange and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion has internal female threads and the distal end portion has a smooth unthreaded inner surface. The wall thickness of the distal end portion is thinner than the wall thickness of the proximal end portion, and the outer wall diameter is essentially constant for the length of the barrel. The barrel is formed first as an elongate member extending from a strip of material initially having a constant inner diameter and an outer diameter of the proximal portion greater than the outer diameter of the distal portion, with the distal portion having a wall thickness thinner than the wall thickness of the proximal portion. The outer diameter of the distal portion is increased to the same diameter as the outer diameter of the proximal portion while maintaining the same wall thicknesses of both the distal and proximal portions. The internal surface of the proximal portion is threaded with threads terminating at the distal portion and having a lead angle of at least about 80°. The terminal end surface of the distal portion is essentially planar and parallel to a flange.”